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Brewers, prospect Odorizzi take long view

Brewers, prospect Odorizzi take long view

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MILWAUKEE -- There might have been some drama in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, after Brewers pitching prospect Jake Odorizzi preserved his no-hitter through eight innings on Tuesday night, but back at Miller Park, there was no doubt about it.

Odorizzi was absolutely not going back out for the ninth.

The 20-year-old right-hander was supposed to be on a limit of 105 pitches, but his 28-pitch eighth inning pushed him well over that mark. Word during the game broadcast was that Odorizzi threw a total of 107 pitches, but the official report from the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers' medical staff was that he threw 117.

So Odorizzi made way for right-handed reliever Adrian Rosario, who finished the no-hitter and a 3-0 win. Odorizzi watched the final three outs from the top step of the dugout.

"I was fired up at the moment," Odorizzi told the Cedar Rapids Gazette. "Wasn't too happy about it then they told me how many pitches I had. You just have to let it go. Your career is more important than just one game."

Lee Tunnell, the Brewers' Minor League pitching coordinator, was on hand for the game and consulted with Timber Rattlers manager Jeff Isom before pulling the plug on Odorizzi, a supplemental first-round Draft pick in 2008.

"He had good stuff, and was free and easy the whole way," said Brewers farm director Reid Nichols. "If Lee wasn't there, they would have been on the phone telling us, 'We're coming up on this inning, this is where we are [in terms of pitch count].' They are very good about that procedure."

Brewers assistant general manager Gord Ash said he did not anticipate Odorizzi's next start being impacted by Tuesday's longer-than-usual effort. It helps that the Timber Rattlers have been juggling their starting rotation this month, giving Odorizzi seven full days of rest before each of his past two starts.

Nichols was not surprised to see Odorizzi involved in a no-hitter.

"He's a big league pitcher," Nichols said. "He just needs some experience."